Philippine Football Federation (PFF) just filed a formal complaint to a local TV network (GMA7) for the RACIST and SEXIST remarks made a few days ago by two of their anchors/hosts Arnold Clavio and Rhea Santos in their morning show Unang Hirit, against the Filipino-Foreign players of the national team. Their comments were foul, unacceptable and just uncalled for!

The network received the complaint this afternoon from PFF but so far, their only action was to take down all the videos taken from their morning show that were posted on the internet claiming copyrights, but perhaps it’s their way of trying to save their anchors from the public hate especially from the football supporters. Clavio issued his official statement via the networks’ website, however it was insincere and rather more insulting to all of us.

I just have to say that I strongly support the fight against RACISM and SEXISM in any form and that I support PFF in this.

Let’s KICK RACISM and SEXISM out of Football and out of this Country!

We want Arnold Clavio and Rhea Santos to be sanctioned for being irresponsible journalists. As a journalism graduate, I am an advocate of “Freedom of Speech” but more than that, I am for “Responsible Journalism.”

Perhaps, GMA7 after their “Think Before you Click” campaign, should come up with another one, “Think Before You Speak” and educate their anchors first about it.

Recently the Philippine National Football Team or the Philippine Azkals was hounded by a sexual harassment controversy. As a fan of football and supporter of my national team, I was surprised when the news broke out. I was a happy fan after their friendly game with Malaysia last February 29. Though I’ve been a football fan long time ago, I only watch matches on TV or via internet, so the Feb 29 match was my first time to watch a football match live from the stadium and my first time to see the Azkals play live from the pitch too. So I was ecstatic and hyper, cheering for my NT, especially when Denis Wolf scored his first international goal.

But 2 days later, after the boys left for Nepal for the AFC Challenge Cup, a sexual harassment was filed by the match commissioner Cristy Ramos (daughter of the former Philippine president Fidel Ramos) against two of NT’s athletes – Lexton Moy and Angel Guirado. ALLEGEDLY (please journalist/sports writer, use this word or you’ll be sued, be a responsible journalist for God’s sake!), Moy made a comment over ‘her’ bra size, saying ‘Must be cup B’ while he was standing next to her. And being the only female in the room, Ramos immediately thought the remark was about her. Angel on the other hand, as claimed by Ramos was only in his underwear when the commissioner checked on him and didn’t even bother to cover himself, while the rest of the Azkals were laughing.

Immediately after the news broke out, Azkals manager Dan Palami apologized to Ramos on behalf of the team and promised not to tolerate this behavior if proven and that the team will cooperate with the investigation. But just like Palami said, it is sad that they were informed about the issue through media and not through Ramos herself. He even mentioned that after the match, he and Ramos even exchanged pleasantries but the latter never mentioned anything about the locker room incident.

Ramos has been entertaining a lot of interviews from different TV networks and publications here and there while the team, including the two accused, is already in Nepal and have limited contact to the country to air their side of the story.

On the recent interview with Palami by Philippine Daily Inquirer, he talked to the team about what really happened in the locker room and he was told that the boys were having a conversation prior to Ramos’ arrival. Apparently, Denis Wolf (my love) was teasing another player Carli de Murga about the flatness of his chest, when Moy who was standing near Ramos replied something like ‘Just because you are Cup B, you say that to Carli’. (Denis really have a nice looking chest, I swear! :D) But Ramos thought that Moy were referring to her bra size.

As for Angel Guirado, as he claimed via his twitter account, he was wearing shorts the time Ramos checked on him. He even said that even if he was on his underwear, it shouldn’t be an issue after all it’s men’s locker room, it should be expected.

Though, being a woman I will not tolerate this as well, even if I am a huge football fan, if they really did something wrong, I would support the suspensions or whatever sanction the governing organization will give. But what saddens me is how some people, mostly Filipinos, already have made judgment on the issue, calling the entire Azklas team rude and disrespectful to women, even if the issue is still being investigated by the AFC and PFF. Ramos even wants the entire team to be sanctioned. And to make things worst, local politicians are using the issue to their advantage since 2013 election is fast approaching.

The Azkals have come a long way and are doing really well when it comes to football. They reintroduced the sport to this basketball-craze country. They revived the beautiful game despite the lack of government funds and support from the private sector when they were starting a few years ago. And now that they are popular and are hailed as the new sports heroes, others would do everything to put them down. Sadly, crab mentality exists in this country. Come on, why can’t we all be happy and support all athletes especially the ones playing for the national team? After all, they’re doing it for the country. And don’t give me the ‘half-Filipino and half foreign’ crap as an excuse that these guys don’t deserve the support. They are Filipinos too, even if their dad or mom is from another country. At least, these lads, whether they’re foreign-based players or not, are doing something for the country. Unlike those who claimed themselves to be full-blooded Filipinos but only giving disgrace to our homeland.

Yep, being happy is a choice. And I’m choosing to be happy on my birthday, which is today! Yup Today!

Well, the start of my birthday is good:

Friends already greeted me (via facebook, text or messengers) and my best friend Idy called me on Skype at 12 midnight, making him the first person to officially greet me on this day. 🙂 Then Ab, my friend Libya also greeted and called me.

Okay, I was having some mood swings today, or maybe Birthday Blues and I wanted to write about it earlier. But now I’d rather write about things that are smile-worthy this week.

I started this smile-worthy post last week. I was thankful for the SB Journal. Now, this week, there are two things I would like to be thankful about and they are definitely worth not just my smile but appreciation and gratefulness to God.

So here they are:

1. A local publishing company (OMFlit) just asked me if I would be interested in writing book reviews for them. I thought this is awesome! What an opportunity!

2. Phil Younghusband of the Philippine National Football Team or the Azkals just replied on my tweet. Hahahaha….. I know not much of a biggie but what the heck, it made me smile today. 🙂 Here’s the proof:

I’ll just go to Europe, find a good looking husband there, have a son, will let him play football. In a few years, I’ll have a son playing for the Azkals or some international clubs. After all, he’ll pass the Azkals’ qualification: half pinoy+ skills + good looks. Hahahaha…..

Although, I am still in awe about being featured on a leading newspaper in the country yesterday (check out this post: “The Glory of the Byline” ) I am also a bit heart broken because Azkals didn’t make to the finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010. Yesterday’s match was another great game, although I have to admit that our National Football Team didn’t play too aggressively yesterday especially during the first half, compared to the first game they played against Indonesia. But despite of the lost, I’m still a very proud Azkal fan. Yes! And I will forever be their supporter.

The Miracle Man and Philippines Head Coach, Simon McMenemy

I wrote this yesterday on Facebook as a message to the Philippines Head Coach Simon McMenemy and the Azkals:

“I’m still proud of the Philippine National Football Team! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Thank you Coach Simon McMenemy and the team for reviving the football in the Philippines. I never thought it would happen this soon, just a few months ago (World Cup season), we, the Filipino football fans were very few, now the fans has grown ten folds and I’ve never been this happy and excited for the football. I always cheer for Brazil, Spain and England (of course!) and other countries (Portugal) during the World Cup games but it’s not the same when you cheer for your own country. There’s this different kind of pride and happiness. Thank you so much for being the Miracle Man! May God bless you and the team! 🙂 “

The Azkals

I look forward to the next matches. I heard they’re playing Mongolia in February 9, 2011 for the Asian Football Confederation qualifiers and hopefully the proposed Panaad Stadium in Bacolod venue will be picked. 🙂

It was in the news today. The RP’s Men Football Team won against the defending champion Vietnam in the AFF Suzuki Cup yesterday. I am so happy! In a basketball-crazed country like mine, it is so great to know that the national team is doing well in the tournament beating the current champion in the region. And although, we are still just few compared to the basketball fans in the country, I am sure that all football-loving Filipinos are so proud of this achievement. Hopefully, in a few years, we will be able to qualify too in the FIFA World Cup. That is one of my dreams. I promise I will surely watch the RP team play live in the pitch someday and I will cheer for them with my whole heart. 🙂 Congratulations, Team Philippines!

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